Human Geography

the flash point represents a much larger theme: the often contentious way the Census both reflects and forges our evolving understanding of race.

2000 Census, more than 56,000 people wrote in Negro to describe their identity — even though it was already on the form

Consider that in a 2006 study of 138 censuses from around the world, New York University sociologist Ann Morning found that only 15% of those asking about ancestry or national origin used the term race. Almost all of those that did were former slave economies.

Since a single party usually controls each state legislature, it is in the best interest of the party in power to redistrict their state so that their party will have more seats in the House than the opposition party. This manipulation of electoral districts is known as gerrymandering. Although illegal, gerrymandering is the process of modifying congressional districts to benefit the party in power.